Staines' 'iconic' town hall could become soft play area and steakhouse

Plans are submitted to rejuvenate the 19th century High Street building, empty for more than two years

The iconic town hall building in the heart of Staines High Street could be rejuvenated, with plans submitted for a steakhouse and soft play area.

The Grade II listed building in Clarence Street has been empty since the beginning of 2012 and has fallen into disrepair.

But now, the famous old town hall, which dates to 1870 and backs on to the River Thames, is set to open once again, bringing up to 40 jobs to the town.

Graham Sturdy, speaking to the Herald & News from the site, is one of the team of Staines developers behind the project.

“It’s still a bit of a mess,” he said, while removing the old ‘rather greasy’ kitchen from the site. “It was shut for years and you can imagine that it has fallen into a state of disrepair.

“We’d been looking for somewhere and we found this. We had a different venue but when we were made aware of the town hall, it was the only place.

“One, we knew that the building can’t be shut – and it should never have been shut – and two, it is in the best bit of Staines.”

The town hall will be split into two distinct and separate parts.

The upstairs, which will include lift access for buggies, will be the first soft play area in town – aimed at being an ideal place for parents to take their young children.

Downstairs will contain a family restaurant and sports bar, although Mr Sturdy promised it would be relatively discreet, with ‘no things hanging from the ceilings’.

Opening hours will be 9am to 11pm on weekdays, closing at 10.30pm on Sundays. Alcohol in the restaurant will only be served during traditional pub opening hours.

“As a business, we won’t benefit being open late and our neighbours are residents,” he said.

“They have suffered quite a bit in years gone by.

“It makes no sense to create problems for the neighbours.”

The name of the town hall will remain because he said everybody knew what and where it was: “It’s like taking over the Old Vic and renaming that.”

Staines Town Society secretary Anne Damerell, speaking ahead of a meeting to discuss the latest developments, said: “I can’t see the society having any objections to it, as it’s a continuation of its previous use, only less troublesome.

“It’s good to have it back in use rather than sitting derelict and it would tidy up the two listed phone- boxes, which are in a state.

“We don’t have that many buildings in Staines that can be described as iconic and it has been a bit sad, looking at it falling into disrepair.

“It felt like nobody loved it any more.

“This is the building people think of when they think of Staines and it was a shame to have had it empty for so long.”

Now the application is in, Spelthorne borough planners will debate it in due course.

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She has been editorial director of the online and print titles in Surrey and north-east Hampshire since 2007. Marnie previously worked at the BBC as a producer for 5 Live, having moved to national radio from BBC Sussex and Surrey.